-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Millions of people are expected to go to Washington to celebrate Barack Obama 's inauguration on January 20 , but with a troubled economy and pocketbook issues on the mind , the president-elect must be careful to set the right tone .

Construction of the inaugural stand continues in front of the White House last week .

President Bush raised a record $ 42.8 million dollars for his second inauguration , and according to Public Citizen , more than 90 percent of the donations to that ceremony were from executives or corporations .

But this year , some say throwing a multimillion-dollar party would be unseemly in a time when crash , bailout , and foreclosure fill the economic headlines .

`` A lot of it is about tone and making sure that the celebrations that do take place are not over the top , that they do n't appear to be insensitive to the pain people have right now , '' said Ryan Alexander , president of Taxpayers for Common Sense .

The inaugural committee for Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to make sure the ceremony underscores the incoming administration 's `` commitment to change business as usual in Washington . ''

The Presidential Inaugural Committee has limited individual contributions to $ 50,000 . There is no law restricting the size of donations , but in the past , inaugural committees have set contribution limits as high as $ 250,000 .

The PIC said it will not take contributions from corporations , political action committees , current federally registered lobbyists , non-U.S. citizens or registered foreign agents .

Obama has promised to `` take power away from the corporate lobbyists '' -- a pledge that would be questioned should the president-elect rely on them to foot his inauguration bill .

`` If he can pay for these parties with small donations , I think there 'd be a lot more acceptance of that , '' Alexander said .

Watchdog groups say there are some things Obama can do to take control of the tone . For example , he could make donations to charity , and Michelle Obama could opt for something more reasonably priced than a designer dress .

When Franklin D. Roosevelt took office , he also faced a financial crisis . He gave voters a now famous pep talk about the failing economy , then skipped the fancy inaugural balls because they sent the wrong message .

But analysts say Obama 's not expected to go that far because so many people want to celebrate his historic win .

`` Washington , D.C. , was pro-Obama and had Obama-mania long before November 4 . But the moment November 4 occurred , all -- all craziness sort of broke loose , '' said Anne Schroeder Mullini , a gossip columnist for Politico .

As inauguration organizers work to keep the tone in check , they are speaking out against those trying to make money by scalping tickets to the event .

Tickets for the inauguration are distributed through members of Congress , and just 240,000 seats are available for the actual swearing-in ceremony .

The tickets are supposed to be free , but with demand outpacing supply , a traditional giveaway has turned into a thriving online marketplace .

Legitimate ticket brokers -- the same companies that peddle tickets to rock concerts and NASCAR races -- are selling tickets to the inauguration for thousands of dollars , even for standing-room areas on the National Mall .

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein wants to make that practice a crime , punishable by up to a year in prison .

Organizers of the inauguration say it violates the spirit of the event and could spell disappointment for people who buy tickets for the ceremony .

`` We think it 's absolutely insane to be selling those tickets . We understand some people want to make a buck , but for those people thinking of buying tickets , it 's buyer beware , '' warned Howard Gantman , staff director of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies .

CNN 's Carol Costello , Brianna Keilar and Erica Hill contributed to this report .

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President Bush raised a record $ 42.8 million dollars for his second inauguration

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Barack Obama has limited individual donations to $ 50,000

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Some say an extravagant celebration would be out of place , considering economy

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Inauguration organizers say ticket scalping violates the spirit of the event